Pressure mounts for vacant building census

Lobbying for a bill requesting an annual census of vacant buildings and lots across the city is intensifying even as the bill remains in the New York City Council committee where it has languished for more than six months.

A press conference led by Picture the Homeless, which wrote the bill, took place Wednesday morning at City Hall.

“We're out here today to raise awareness about Intro 48, and ask for the City Council to schedule a speedy hearing and floor vote, so that this vital proposal can become law,” said a flyer issued by the nonprofit Picture the Homeless.

City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito proposed Intro 48 in February to have the city conduct an annual census of vacant buildings and vacant lots in the five boroughs. Since then, the bill has sat in the Committee on Housing and Buildings awaiting a hearing date, despite support from nearly 30 City Council members.

Picture the Homeless launched an interactive website this summer to solicit the public to report vacant buildings and lots. The organization argues that the census would help locate unused residential buildings that could be used to provide housing for the homeless and would help bring down the cost of real estate, too.

It also said that while some City Council members may be concerned of the cost of a census, it commissioned two separate costs analyses, both of which came in under $75,000, according to its website.

Ms. Mark-Viverito wasn't immediately available for comment.

Correction: Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito didn't attend the press conference lobbying for a bill requesting an annual census of vacant buildings and lots. An earlier version of this article, published Sept. 29, 2010, misstated the press conference's attendee list.

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